# Help identifying a Peterson's Meerschaum pipe



## azlizard (Feb 22, 2012)

Just recently acquired a nice condition Peterson's Meerschaum pipe with cuved P-lip stem, and have some questions. The band on the shank is metal, and marked only "K&P Peterson's", with no hallmark, and no "Dublin" or "Republic of Ireland", or any other markings. The band metal is mostly dark, with some areas silver colored. The body of the pipe is rusticated, light colored, with blackened bowl rim. I think all my other Peterson's are marked either "Dublin" or "Republic of Ireland", and those with sterling bands have hallmarks, and/or are marked "Sterling". The coloring of the band on this pipe sure looks like it may be tarnished silver, but with no hallmark or "sterling" marked or stamped, I'm curious as to whether or not Peterson's ever made pipes that had "unmarked" sterling bands. And, when they may have produced pipes without "Dublin" or "Repubic of Ireland" marked on them, somewhere.

Thanks.


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## Commander Quan (May 6, 2003)

If there are no hallmarks the cap on the shank is probably nickle not silver. This is probably one of the bowls carved for Peterson by Laxey http://pipedia.org/wiki/Laxey_Pipes_Ltd.


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## Contemplative (Mar 1, 2014)

Bought the exact same pipe (new, of course, not used) at newsagents/tobacconists in Dover (Kent, England) 3 days ago for £14.95 ($25 approx), incredibly cheap if it's a real Peterson. Have been trying to find out about the pipe, and after 3 days have found your posts, the only references available anywhere.

Seems to smoke very well, seems to be meerschaum. I have a 'real' Peterson meerschaum with smooth bowl, not rough like this one, which I bought back in the late '80s for £36. Price to buy now would be at least double that, I think - especially as the band is genuine silver.

The band on this new 'Peterson' is definitely metal, not silver.

Have checked the info on Laxey pipes, and as they stopped making meerschaums after 2001, and went bust some time later, don't think it can be made by them.

The puzzle continues!


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## Contemplative (Mar 1, 2014)

Had a word with the shop owner today. Turns out that it is a genuine Peterson pipe.

She has a relative who owned a shop which sold pipes, but he's closed the shop, and the pipes left are the ones she had on display. So she's selling them at clearance prices.

There were just 6 left today (no Petersons, last week I nabbed the only one she had), including 3 of the 5 Falcon pipes on display last week. Snapped up a nice straight Falcon at the bargain price of £14.95. They normally retail at over £33 in UK ($53+) so it's a real bargain.

It is decades since I've seen any kind of sale of decent quality pipes here in UK, so I'm as pleased as punch. 

The fact that 2 Falcons, in addition to mine, have been sold since last week shows that there are still some eagle-eyed pipe smokers in town. So much for 'nobody smokes pipes anymore'.


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## Branzig (Jul 14, 2013)

Very cool

I myself am not much of a Meer guy, I don't like the look of them. BUT those pete styled Meers are a good looking pipe. I could definitely see myself enjoying one of those if I could secure one!


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## Contemplative (Mar 1, 2014)

The same pipe is for sale on Ebay dot co dot uk. Sorry I can't link to it cos post count not high enough. Sale ends tomorrow and bids already up to £31 (about $52). Pipe not in as good condition as photos from original poster on this thread, and nowhere near as good as mine, which is brand new!

I would pm you, Branzig, and give you the link for your interest, but again my post count isn't high enough to allow that.

The title of the sale item is VINTAGE K & P PETERSONS MEERSCHAUM SMOKING PIPE , and the seller's name is intoxikateofstratford .

Seller says pipe is 'from the 1970s'.


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## Contemplative (Mar 1, 2014)

Have found some more info via the internationalpetersonpipeclub indicating that our pipe in question is a Peterson tawny with rustic finish and saddle stem.

It was available with nickel band but also available in 'classic shape' without band at all.

Info also indicates that these pipes were indeed made by Laxey (on the Isle of Man, between Liverpool and Ireland), as Commander Quan opined below.

The pipe is made from African block meerschaum, supplies of which dried up, no longer available. which in itself makes the pipe quite rare I guess.

Another thing: the retail price in a London shop in 2003 was about £80 ($136). Mine is looking even more of a bargain. It's my part-Scots ancestry that really relishes this.


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## Branzig (Jul 14, 2013)

Thanks, but I don't know if I can justify buying another pipe at this moment :lol:

Golf season is right around the corner...and I am taking a 1 day trip to Southern WA just to golf in a week so that's 50 bucks in gas right there...not even going to talk about the Green Fee....haha


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## freestoke (Feb 13, 2011)

Branzig said:


> Thanks, but I don't know if I can justify buying another pipe at this moment :lol:
> 
> Golf season is right around the corner...and I am taking a 1 day trip to Southern WA just to golf in a week so that's 50 bucks in gas right there...not even going to talk about the Green Fee....haha


Not a dry eye in the house, Brandon.

All this talk of meers, so I pulled out my only good one, lightly smoked. Always afraid I'll break it -- again.


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## Branzig (Jul 14, 2013)

freestoke said:


> Not a dry eye in the house, Brandon.
> 
> All this talk of meers, so I pulled out my only good one, lightly smoked. Always afraid I'll break it -- again.


I know! I need to move to Arizona or Florida. :lol:

I don't know what it is about Meers, but something about them just doesn't do it for me.


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## Contemplative (Mar 1, 2014)

My old '80s Peterson smooth bowl meerschaum, which has been frequently used since purchase, has never seemed in danger of breaking. However, a Turkish meerschaum bought by me in the '90s, and not smoked very often, broke in half about 5 years ago.


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## Branzig (Jul 14, 2013)

Contemplative said:


> My old '80s Peterson smooth bowl meerschaum, which has been frequently used since purchase, has never seemed in danger of breaking. However, a Turkish meerschaum bought by me in the '90s, and not smoked very often, broke in half about 5 years ago.


I inherently have really bad luck.

So if I spend any sizable sum of capitol on a Meer, I would quickly and clumsily destroy it :lol:


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## Contemplative (Mar 1, 2014)

I've managed to drop the old meer a couple of times over the decades, but much to my gratification it didn't break.
However, I agree that it would be really annoying to break an expensive meer. You wouldn't feel so bad if you'd got a couple of decades of life out of it though. 'Tis all a lottery, like so much else in life....


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## TImK (Nov 12, 2017)

azlizard said:


> Just recently acquired a nice condition Peterson's Meerschaum pipe with cuved P-lip stem, and have some questions. The band on the shank is metal, and marked only "K&P Peterson's", with no hallmark, and no "Dublin" or "Republic of Ireland", or any other markings. The band metal is mostly dark, with some areas silver colored. The body of the pipe is rusticated, light colored, with blackened bowl rim. I think all my other Peterson's are marked either "Dublin" or "Republic of Ireland", and those with sterling bands have hallmarks, and/or are marked "Sterling". The coloring of the band on this pipe sure looks like it may be tarnished silver, but with no hallmark or "sterling" marked or stamped, I'm curious as to whether or not Peterson's ever made pipes that had "unmarked" sterling bands. And, when they may have produced pipes without "Dublin" or "Repubic of Ireland" marked on them, somewhere.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> ...


Looks identical to mine, stolen from my truck, In peoria/glendale in about 2009, a gift from my now passed mother. no idea where she got it. Stem was a little loose. It's a great smoking pipe.


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